This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com

Ontarians in many communities have been unnecessarily alarmed by news that a potential Ebola patient is in their local hospital. The suspected cases underscored the necessity of our health-care facilities to be Ebola-ready and our registered nurses and allied health professionals properly trained and protected.

Article Continued Below

As the president of the union representing the RNs and allied health professionals at designated Ebola treatment centre, University Health Network, I want to assure the public that they need not worry about Ebola readiness.

ONA members know only too well the consequences of a lack of personal protective equipment and lack of communications during an outbreak of infectious disease. During SARS, ONA was at the forefront of advocating for proper protective equipment and safety measures to protect health care workers, patients and the public. Unfortunately, the province was not prepared and consequently, dozens of health care workers were sickened – and two RNs died.

It’s different this time around, largely due to the willingness of the provincial government to listen to the front-line nurses.

ONA continues to advocate to ensure that health care workers are equipped with the proper personal protective equipment, trained, tested and drilled to handle a potential Ebola patient, thus keeping nurses safe and able to focus on what we are there to do – care for our patients.

As Canada’s largest nurses’ union, I am proud of the professionalism and care provided by our frontline RNs and allied health care workers. We are committed to being at our patients’ sides when we’re needed.

Torontonians should sleep better at night knowing that ONA is diligently working to ensure that our RNs are ready and protected, so that they are safe and able to provide the care to the patients who need it.

Linda Haslam-Stroud, President, Ontario Nurses’ Association, Toronto

Forced quarantine could harm Ebola efforts, expert warns, Oct. 27

Every time I turn on a TV, radio or open a paper, North America is talking about the Ebola epidemic on this side of the ocean. I am disgusted that this human tragedy has turned out to be about “us,” not “them.”

We all need to step up, contribute, and stop this disease in Africa. There are bodies strewn in the streets in Liberia yet we concern ourselves with a case or two in North American cities of millions. Selfish little Hollywood personalities make themselves sick with worry and get hospitalized because they worry about contracting this disease (or maybe it’s just a photo op).

The sadness and stupidity of how this story has veered way off track is nothing short of disgusting. If we don’t adopt the “me to we” approach very soon, we will find ourselves in a far worse situation with no turning back.

Let’s support any and all agencies that are in Africa, risking their lives, which will ultimately save ours.

Carolyn Breen Morton, Barrie

Ebola outbreak exposes flawed Canadian aid policy, Opinion Oct. 27

I enjoyed Jonathan Millard’s commentary on Canada’s response to the Ebola crisis. But I was disappointed that he failed to mention that the CDC estimates that, for every patient who seeks medical attention for Ebola, two infected people avoid medical treatment. (Every estimate by the WHO of the number of cases is followed by a statement that this is an underestimate.)

This is important, because how can isolation and quarantine work when less than half the population participates? My purpose is not to be pessimistic, but if we truly intend to solve the problem, we need to first understand it. Aside from whether the response from the West has been adequate, it is unclear more doctors and more funding is not the only problem.

More from the Toronto Star & Partners

LOADING

Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com